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NAVY TELLS JUDICIAL WATCH IT WILL NOT
RELEASE ADDITIONAL KERRY DOCUMENTS
Navy Personnel Command Confirms Additional Unreleased Kerry Service Records Exist
“No comment” from Navy on Freedom of Information Act Legal Review of Kerry
Records
No Record of Kerry’s Discharge Certificate Maintained by Navy
(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch said that the U.S. Navy Personnel Command, in response to
a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request, has refused to release additional
documents on the naval service of Senator John Kerry. The Navy’s response the
Judicial Watch’s FOIA request contained a biographical data sheet on Kerry, 2
citations and one certificate for the Silver Star medal, 2 citations and one certificate
for the Bronze Star medal, and 3 sets of orders and certificates for the Purple Heart. In an irregular response to a government
records request, the Navy’s letter referred Judicial Watch to the Kerry campaign
Internet site for “Numerous responsive U.S. Navy service record documents, as well as
service record documents not subject to disclosure requirements under the FOIA . . .”
Questions concerning when the Navy conducted a FOIA review and legal review of
Kerry’s records were answered “No comment” by Navy Personnel Command FOIA
Officer Dave German, during a telephone interview today with Judicial Watch Director of
Investigations and Research Chris Farrell. Navy Public Affairs Officer Mike McClellan
monitored the telephone interview. In a subsequent e-mail to Mr. Farrell, Mr. German
wrote, “We have withheld thirty-one (31) pages of documents from the responsive
military personnel service record as we were not provided a release authorization.”
Judicial Watch also sought Senator Kerry’s Discharge Certificate (DD Form 256N) from
the U.S. Navy under the provisions of the FOIA. Mr. German stated that the U.S. Navy
issues the DD Form 256N to the discharged service member, but does not maintain an
official copy of the certificate in the service member’s record. A copy of Senator
Kerry’s DD Form 256N discharge certificate was not available on his campaign Internet
site as of this writing.
“It will be difficult to obtain these hidden documents if John Kerry continues to
refuse to authorize their release. In the hundreds of open records FOIA requests Judicial
Watch has made to the government, I can point to no instance where we were referred to a
political campaign Internet site in the response,” stated Judicial Watch President
Tom Fitton.
The Navy’s FOIA response is available on the Internet by clicking
here.
From the Desk of Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton:
PENTAGON CONTACTS SECRETARY OF THE NAVY ABOUT KERRY AWARDS
Reacts to Investigation Request by
Judicial Watch
(Washington, DC) Judicial Watch, reported that the Inspector General (“IG”) of
the Department of Defense has informed the Secretary of the Navy of Judicial Watch’s
“formal complaint and request for investigation, determination and final disposition
of the awards granted to Lieutenant (junior grade) John Forbes Kerry, U.S. Naval
Reserve.”
The Defense Department IG cited Section 8(d) of the Inspector General Act of 1978, which
states: “. . . the IG of the Department of Defense shall expeditiously report
suspected or alleged violations of chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code (Uniform
Code of Military Justice), to the Secretary of the military department concerned or the
Secretary of Defense.”
On August 18, 2004, Judicial Watch filed a complaint and request for investigation and
final disposition of awards granted to Kerry with the Inspectors General of the Department
of Defense and the Department of the Navy, as well as the Chief of Naval Operations and
the Navy’s Board of Decorations and Medals. See the complaint and the Department of
Defense IG letter by clicking here.
On Tuesday, August 31, 2004, Judicial Watch called upon Senator Kerry to remove the Silver
Star citation from his political campaign Internet site pending a review of the granting
of the award by the U.S. Navy. Senator Kerry’s political Internet site
displays a document listing a “Silver Star with Combat ‘V.’” The
Combat “V” device is never awarded with the nation’s third highest award
for heroism. A U.S. Navy spokesperson has reportedly stated: “The Navy has never
issued a ‘Combat V’ to anyone for a Silver Star.” Additionally,
former Navy Secretary John Lehman was quoted with respect to the Silver Star citation as
saying: “It is a total
mystery to me. I never saw it. I never signed it. I never approved it. And the additional
language it contains was not written by me.”
“We hope this is the beginning of an actual investigation
of the legitimacy of Senator Kerry’s awards by the Navy and the Pentagon,”
stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. |
